1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to coin processing apparatus used in vending machines, money exchangers, service devices, etc., and adapted to separate and accommodate put-in coins in accordance with denominations and pay out those separated and accommodated coins as change.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, vending machines, money exchangers, service devices, etc., include a coin processing apparatus for separating and accommodating put-in coins in accordance with denominations and paying out those coins as change.
This coin processing apparatus mainly composed of a coin selecting unit for determining whether put-in coins are genuine ones or not and denominations of the genuine coins, a coin accommodating unit for temporarily accommodating the genuine coins which are separated in accordance with their denominations and a coin payment unit for paying out coins accommodated in the coin accommodating unit as change. Each of these elements (coin selecting unit, coin accommodating unit and coin payment unit) are separately formed as independent parts and configured to be detachably mounted within the coin payment unit which constitutes a main body of the coin processing apparatus.
When a coin is put into the coin processing apparatus, the coin first enters into the coin selecting unit and checked whether a genuine one or not, and if it is a genuine one, it is classified in accordance with its denomination. The genuine coin is then accommodated in accordance with its denomination in a corresponding one of separate coin accommodating units disposed below the coin selecting unit. When denominations of change are determined, coins accommodated in the coin accommodating units are paid out for an amount corresponding to the sum of change from the coin payment unit disposed at the lowermost position.
The coin selecting unit has complicated coin paths which separate genuine coins from false coins and also separate the coins regarded as genuine in accordance with their denominations. Disposed in a part of the complicated coin paths are an electronic coin discriminating unit which includes, for example, an oscillating coil and a receiving coil, and selection units such as solenoids which distribute the coins to predetermined separate coin paths. While put-in coins are rolling in and passing through the coin path formed in the coin selecting unit, the coins are classified as genuine ones and false ones. The false coins are guided to a coin path assigned for the false coin, and the genuine coins are separated in accordance with their denominations and then guided into respective coin accommodating units provided for the respective denominations through predetermined coin paths assigned for the respective denominations.
According to the conventional coin processing apparatus, since the coin selecting unit, the coin accommodating unit and the coin payment unit are separately formed as independent elements and, when used, they are detachably attached to the coin payment unit which constitutes the main body of the coin processing apparatus, the structure of the coin processing apparatus is complicated and the number of parts are increased. Thus, the manufacturing cost of the whole coin processing apparatus becomes high.
According the coin processing apparatus as described above, complicated coin paths for selection of coins are formed in the coin selecting unit which constitutes a part of the coin processing apparatus. However, if liquid such as soft drink or cleaning detergent is poured into a coin slot of the coin processing apparatus, for example, the liquid will also flows into the coin selecting unit along the coin path where a coin rolls down. When adhesive liquid such as cleaning detergent flows through the coin path in the coin selecting unit, it will adhere to the selection units such as solenoids disposed in the coin path whereby the normal operation of such selection units is hindered and hence the selecting function is deteriorated.
When such adhesive liquid adhering to the selection units is dried, the operation of these selection units may be locked and the function of the coin processing apparatus itself may be stopped. Further the liquid may flow into a control circuit of the coin payment unit causing short-circuit of electric parts such as electronic circuits and a motor which results in a malfunction of the apparatus.